A recent research from the University of Exeter Medical School reports that people living near green patches in urban place (like parks and gardens) tend to have eternal advantages on their psychological health. The advantages gained outlast even after the person shift away. The discovery further pushes us to work towards maintaining a greener planet.
To reach the conclusion scientist pooled data from over 1,000 members divided on two samples. One of the samples included members who were moved to green part of the urban place and other shifting out from the green part to less greener patches. Each member was provided with a questionnaire to gather require information. Upon analyzing the data, the result showed that members of the sample that moved to green areas of the city displayed a paramount enhancement in psychological health and continued for 3 years even after moving to another destination. On the other hand, members moving to lesser green patches showed a decline in mental health. Surprisingly they noticed this decline happened before they relocated and retreating to the normal level soon after the shifting is completed.
For an accurate conclusion, scientists modified their data in order to avoid influence of elements such as income, job, education and individual personality on the mental state of the individual over time. Dr Ian Alcock, leading the researchers says:
We’ve shown that individuals who move to greener areas have significant and long-lasting improvements in mental health. These findings are important for urban planners thinking about introducing new green spaces to our towns and cities, suggesting they could provide long term and sustained benefits for local communities.
The co-author Dr. Mathew White says they need to understand how the results of greenery may differ over a period of time, though initially they are more benefited because of the experience they had moving to new greener place and later are acclimatized with the environment. The study however says that the greenery gradually improve the mental condition and shows lasting effect.
As per the 2012 data of the World Health Organization reported depression as the major cause of mental disorders across the world. Now that we are aware that living in a green surrounding may significantly improve our well being and health, it’s time for us to work towards planting more trees and conserving the existing one.
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